Method of forming collapsible containers



June 20, 1950 w. A. RINGLER METHOD OF FORMING COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS F iled Sept. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l N VENTOR Mllz'am 4. 1 4! ATTORNEY June 20, 1950 w. A. RINGLER METHOD OF FORMING COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1945 ATTORNEY Patented June 20, 1950 METHOD OF FORMING COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINERS William A. Ringler, Wayne, Pal, assignor to The Gardner Board and Carton 00.;

of Ohio a corporation Application September 8, 1945, Serial'No. 615,191

This invention provides a method and device for forming and setting up liquid tight cartons or containers of the knock down type made from cardboard, paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material. I

Cartons or containers embodying the invention may be prefabricated in the form of flat, out and creased blanks and may be set up either manually or on semi-automatic equipment by a sequence of assembly operations resulting in a self-locking carton which does not require gluing, stapling or riveting operations to maintain .it in set-up condition.

A representative form of carton set-up according to the invention briefly comprises a bottom to which side walls are hingedly connected along fold lines forming the bottom edges of the carton. The side walls are interconnected by. pairs of bellows or gusset panels hingedlyconnected to the side edges of the. side walls, whereby liquid proofness of the container is attained Reference is made to my copending. application Serial No. 613,843, filed August 31, 1945 and entitled Containers for illustrative types of cartonswhich may be set-up according to my invention.

In the assembly of the carton the gusset panels are folded face to face and overlie the side walls adding materially to the strength of the walls.

5 Claims. (Cl. 9351) bottom panel "of the carton blank is movable into the space between the side wall forming members and folds the side wall panels into a position upright with respect to the bottom panel. The plunger is pivoted coaxially with the support and permits rotation of the folded carton blank in the jig for the purpose of securing the side walls in set-up position by successive folding of the lock flaps and placing of the gusset panels or corners thereunder.

The various objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully fromthe detailed description which follows, accompanied by drawings showing; for the purpose of illustration,

preferred embodiments of the invention. The invention also consists in certain new and original steps of assembly as well as features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of the invention which are believed to be novel will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, its objects and ad- 1 vantages and the manner in which it may be car Lock flaps hingedly connected along the top edge of the carton overlie the folded gusset panels and hold them in carton assembled position. The lock flaps are secured in foldedover position by folding the lock flaps at the corners of the carton. Each lock flap thu extends around" a corner of the carton and resists folding up into a position in which the gusset panels would bereleased. The lock flaps in addition to maintaining the container in assembled position,'reinforce the top edge of the container and provide a rim to which various forms of covers or locked.

Cartons and containers formed according to'the present invention are admirably suited for the packaging of frozen foods, ice cream and the like, particularly since they may be shipped and stored in collapsed condition, be set up when needed, and may be knocked down and flattened out'for disposal after use without necessity of tearing of container panels, pulling of staples or other time consuming or inconvenient operations.

The invention further provides a semi-automatic jig on which carton blanks may be folded and set up. The jig briefly comprises a plurality of side wall panel folding members mounted on a pivoted base. A plunger adapted to engagethe ried out may be'better understood by referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a flat carton blank from which a carton embodying features of this invention may be made, the inside surface of the blank facing the observer;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a representative form of semi-automatic jig for setting up a carton from a fiat blank according to the method provided by this invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the blank of Fig. I inserted between the folding mechanism of the jig of Fig. 2, parts of the jig not necessary for the understanding of the step being omitted;

Fig. 4 illustrates a first folding operation performed on the blank of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 shows the blank of Fig. 1 after a further folding operation in which the gusset panels at the side edges of the container blank are brought into face to face position;

Fig. 6 illustrates the folding of a first securing flap and the folding Of a first pair of gusset and 18 are suspended from cables I9 and 80 guided over rollers BI, 82, 83 and 84, and attached to the rod 75 the space between the upright plates 63, 64, 65, and 66 with sumcient play to allow for the thickness of the blank to be folded. Inserted between the upright plates 63, 64, 65 and 66, the plunger 13 may be rotated together with the support 6| due to a coaxial arrangement of the rod I5 with the pivot 62 of the support 6 I.

In order to form a carton from acarton blank A the flat blank is placed on the top edges of the fixed plates 63 and 64 so that the fold lines I4 and I5 lie slightly inside the space defined by the folding plates 63 and 64 as shown in Fig. 3.

The plunger I3 is then moved downwardly engaging with its bottom the surface of the bottom panel I I of the blank and foldingthe blank A about the fold lines- I4 and I5 as shown in Fig. 4.

After a certain amount of downwardtravel the plunger 13, with the bottom panel II of the blank thereunder, engages the L- shaped extensions 63 and of the 'tiltable plates 65 and 66 causing the plates to tilt gradually into upright position with respect to the support GI on which they are mounted. The tilting of'the plates 65 and 66 causes the side wall panels I! and I6 to fold about their respective fold lines I3 and I2,fwhile simultaneously the four pairs of gusset panels 20, 2I; 25, 26; 30, 3I and 35f36 are folded face to face and outwardlywith respect to the plunger 13.

The folded blank now assumes the form shown in Fig. 5 and is ready for the folding and securing of the folded gusset panels in looking position.

The locking of the four pairs of gusset panels is preferably done progressively, and may proceed as follows: y,

The side wall panel Ill and ..the gusset panel 26 are first aligned in order to'straighten the fold line 45 along which the lock flap 44 is hinged.

The lock flap 44 is then folded outwardly about the fold line 45 to overlie the top portion of the side wall panel I1 and of the gusset panel 26. The .pair of gusset panels 26 and 21 lying face to face is then swung about the fold lines I3 and I5 lying in substantial alignment until the pair of gusset panels overlies the outside surface of the side wall panel I9. This position is illustrated in Fig. 6. In the resulting structure the side wall nearest to the observer is of single thickness where the side wall panel I9 is exposed and of triple thickness where the pair of gusset panels 26 and 21 overlie the side wall panel I9. The resulting reinforcement makes the side wall I9 extremely sturdy.

After the folding of the gusset panels 26 and 21 over the side wall panel I 9 the two portions 44 and 44" of the lock flap 44 have assumed an angular position with respect to each other which prevents unfolding of the sections 44' and 44".

The assembly of the container then proceeds by moving the pair of gusset panels 20 and ZI about the side fold lines I2 and I5 into alignment with the side wall panel I6. In order to perform this operation the support and plunger are preferably turned about their pivots as illustrated in at 85 and86. The plungerfits into Fig. 7. In this position the sections of the top fold line 4| along which the lock flap portions 40 and 40" are hinged are aligned permitting folding of the entire lock flap 40 outwardly so that look fiap portion 40" overlies lockflap portion 42 on the previously folded gusset panel 2I and lock flap portion 40 overlies the outside surface of the gusset panel 36. The folded gusset panels 36 and 35 are then swung about the fold lines I2 and I4 forming a side edge of the container into a position in which the folded gusset panels 36 and 35 overlie the side wall panel I8. This folding operationcauses folding of the two portions of the lock flap 4!! about the fold line I4 whereby the portion 40" overlying the gusset panels 20 and 2| is fixed in position. Thus folded the structure appears in Fig. 8. I

In the further stages of the assembly the gusset panels 3| and 30 are aligned with the side wall panel I 8, the lock flap 46 common to the side Wall panel I8 and the gusset panel 3! are folded outwardly to overlie the last folded pair of gusset panels 36 and 35,-locking the gusset panels 36 and 35 in position. The gusset panels as and 3| are then swung about the fold lines I4 and I3 forming a side edge of the container until the gusset panels 30 and HI overlie the side wall I I as shown in Fig; 9.

The lock flap 44 common to the side wall panel I! and the gusset panel. 26 are then folded outwardly to overlie and lock the last folded pair of gusset panels 30 and 3|. The gusset panels 26 and 25 are then swung" about the aligned fold lines I3 and I 5 until they 'overlie'the side wall panel I9. Finally the folded-gusset panels 25 and 26 are tucked under the lock flap 42" whereby the assembly of the container is completed I The container may then be removed from the 'jig by lifting the plunger 'I3out of the container and then lifting the container oil the sidewall supporting plates 63, 64, 65, and '66 of the jig.

The finished container is shown in Fig. 10. It

has a rectangular bottom panel and four side walls reinforced by pairs of gusset panels. Each pair of gusset panels jis' locked by lock flaps which in addition" reinforce the topedgeof "the container and provide a locking rim'towhich a from underneath-its locking flapwhereafter the container may be flattened out progressively.

The invention thus provides a method and device for forming liquid tight containers of extremely simple and rugged construction which may be set up, filled and closed either manually by unskilled labor or be handled on semi-automatic equipment. The container is very sturdy due to the reinforcement of the side wall and the top edge. It possesses the advantage of being easily knocked down after use.

No glue or staples are required for assembling the container which is entirely self-locking due to its peculiar manner of assembly.

The invention is of course not limited to the specific form of blank shown in the drawings nor to the specific form of jig. The form of the blanks may be modified in various ways without departing from the peculiar features of the method of assembly above described. Cartons having square or polygonal bottom panels and a corresponding number of side walls may be set up according to this invention. Thus various modifications of the blank as well as numerous other changes, additions, omissions and substitutions maybe maderby persons skilled, inthe art without departing from the-spirit-and teaching of. the-invention...

What; is claimed' is:

1. Themethodpoisetting up, acarton from a flat-blankhavinga bottompanel, side wall panels hinged thereto, pairs of gusset panels connecting the. side; wall), panels, andlockyflaps, hinged to the top edges of the. side-wallpanels and the gusset panels, each lock flap being common to aside wall; panel and; anadjacent gusset panel, the method comprising, folding-the side wall panels into'a position substantiallyat right angles with respect: to the-bottom: panel; folding the gusset panels, of onecorner-over the adjacent side wall panel;. and simultaneously folding the lock flap hinged to said last named gusset, panels; over said-last" named gusset-panels, the lockflap being bent at the carton corner; folding the gusset panels of thenext corner over the respective side wall panel, andsimultaneouslyfolding the'lock flapzassociated withsaid'last-namedgusset panels over the previously folded gusset panels, whereby the previously folded gusset panels are locked imposition;folding-thegusset panels of the succeeding corners in likeimannery and tucking the last remaining gusset: panels under the lock flaps associated with the first folded gusset panels.

2. The method of securing in set-up position adjacent walls of a collapsible folding carton having'a' bottom, sidewalls, gusset corners between adjacent side walls, and lock flaps each common toone side wall and. the adjacent: portion of a gusset corner, which includes erectingsaid side wallsand: folding down a lock flap over a side wall; and the; gusset, corner towhich it: is attached, and bending. the folded lock flap at the carton corner; by folding; the gusset corner against an adjacent" Wall, and repeating these operations: progressively for a plurality of said sidewalls;

3. The method claimed inclaimz including the step of tucking: the last-folded gusset'corner under the first folded-lock-flap.

4; The method 'of securing in set-up position adjacent walls of a collapsible folding carton, having a; bottom, side walls, gusset corners between adjacent side walls, and lock flaps each common to one sidewallandthe. adjacent portion of a gusset cor-nenwhich includes-the steps of erectingsaid side walls; foldinga'gnsset cor,-

ner toalposition Substantially coplanar, with the side wall bearing a lock flap in, common, with said gusset cornenfoldingdown the common lock flap over the side wall andthe gusset corner, bending the folded lock flap about the carton edge by folding the gusset, corner against an adjacent wall, repeating these steps for a. plurality of successive side walls, and tucking the last folded gusset corner under the first folded lock flap.

5. The method of setting up-a carton from a blank having a bottom, panel, side wall panels articulatedthereto, pairs of gusset panels connecting the side wall panels, and lock flaps articulatedto thetop edges of the side wall panels and the gusset panels, each lock flap being common to a side wall paneland one adjacentgusset panel, including the steps of folding the sidewall panels into a position substantially at right angles with respect. to the-bottom panel, folding the gusset panels of one cor-ner to a position substantially coplanar with. one of the adjacent side wall panels, folding down the lock flap articulated to said last mentionedside wall panel, and then folding the said gusset panels over. onto the other of the adjacent side wall panels, folding the gusset panels of the next successivecorner to. a position. substantially coplanar with said lastmentioned side wallpanel, folding down the lock flap articulated to the said last mentioned sidewall panel over the first folded gusset panels, folding the gusset panels of the said next successive corner over onto a third side wall panel, whereby the first foldedgusset panels are locked in folded position, folding'successively the gussetpanels of the remaining corners in, likemanner, and tucking the last remaining gusset panels under said first folded lock-flap.-

, WILLIAM A. RINGLER.

RIJFIERI'IN'.GESv CITED The following references are of record. in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

